Socks and puppies and bagpipes... oh my!

First things first. I finished Breeze from the Summer 2007 issue of Knitty. I love these socks! They make me so happy! Especially after my recent run of bad luck in the knitting department. With the scarf done and now Breeze I'm feeling like I am definately getting back in the game.

So here's the first picture:

I had to make a few modifications to the pattern as I used Regia Cotton. Not a bad yarn only about $5.00 so actually really economical and it only took 1 ball only complaint is that it's a bit splitty. The only mods were just a matter of decreasing the amount of rows I did for the back of the heel and then decreasing the rows for the foot length too. With the minor adjustments they fit me perfectly! I did however decide that the cream colour was a little dull for such pretty socks, so I threw caution to the wind and mixed up some Black Cherry Kool-Aid and threw my finished socks in the microwave. I'd heard you shouldn't dye cotton with Kool-Aid, but I like the result!

The dye took nicely for the most part but there are little white-ish strands throughout (I guess this would be the cotton in the yarn) giving it a lovely marled effect. As I said... I love these socks!!!!

Now. Onto other matters. I haven't posted pictures of the pups in an awfully long time, so I thought the blog was due for some puppy cuteness! So I present to you the boys who turned five months old yesterday!
Guinness


Lucky


And for the final matter at hand. Bagpipes. N turned 13 yesterday and how fitting that on Saturday he was issued his pipes at cadets. He's extremely excited. The neighbours are not - but too bad, we put up with their all night drunken partying and other unsavoury behaviour. N started chanter lessons in May and then as some of you may recall, spent three weeks in Vernon, BC at the cadet camp furthering his training. He was tested on Saturday by the pipe major of the tri-service cadet band and deemed ready for his pipes. N is a natural though. He blew the pipes up and within a few tries was playing his scale. I tried, and couldn't get a sound! I am green with envy!! I've been on my chanter for two whole years and have not got even close to getting pipes yet.